Calais Campbell Hopeful To Play Thursday

Defensive end Calais Campbell points his finger up as he is wheeled off the field Sunday. Campbell is doing OK and was back at meetings Monday, hoping to be cleared to play Thursday.

Calais Campbell, as usual, was all smiles.

There was no hint that the defensive end had been taken off the Candlestick Park turf on a stretcher late in Sunday’s game against the 49ers. Maybe that’s just because it was essentially precaution that led to the dramatic exit – Campbell actually wanted to get up and walk off under his own power only to have the medical staff insist he stay down and still until he could be tested.

But Monday, Campbell was back in the locker room, back in team meetings and talking about how he was hopeful to play Thursday night against Seattle.

“I feel pretty good now,” Campbell said. “Football is my life so I am looking forward to strapping up and playing again.

“Football is a fun game and if you play it correctly, you can limit your injuries. I’m not really scared as long as I play the right way.”

Campbell was not part of the Monday practice as he went to the hospital to try and get cleared to play again. He said he was “a little sore” but that he’s always sore on Mondays anyway.

Coach Bruce Arians said “I’ve got my fingers crossed” Campbell will be able to play.

“There have been a number of times I’ve been out there watching guys getting towed off on a stretcher and it’s never fun,” Arians said. “You just start praying and hoping everything is going to be alright, but he was coherent and talking and you could see the fingers and the feet start coming back pretty fast, so I was very optimistic.”

Campbell said he was trying to force a Frank Gore fumble when he put his head down on the tackle. He said the sensation was like a stinger, except the jolt went down to his feet. It started to go away before he even left the field, but he was still immobilized – at least until he put his finger up to signal to his family in attendance he was OK.

He said he didn’t even notice the crowd doing the “Wave” that caused so much furor at the time.

“When I got off the field I gave the thumbs-up and the crowd did a pretty good cheer so I felt pretty good about that,” Campbell said. “I felt a lot of love.”

BATTLING OPPOSING TIGHT ENDS

With Vernon Davis making eight catches for 180 yards Sunday against the Cards, it marked the third time in the three Arizona losses where a tight end had put up monster numbers. St. Louis tight end Jared Cook had seven catches for 141 yards, while New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham had nine catches for 134 yards.

“That’s a pattern throughout the NFL, it’s not just us,” Arians said. “The tight ends are becoming more athletic and more teams are targeting them.”

As for the Cardinals getting similar play from a tight end, “if you have it and you can create a mismatch, that’s your advantage,” Arians added. “Right now, we don’t have that.”

Later Arians said Rob Housler is the only tight end on the Cards’ roster who can create a mismatch, “and right now he’s not performing at that level.”

GOLDEN DOUBTFUL; FITZ AND DANSBY DINGED

Arians said wide receiver Brittan Golden, whose first NFL catch Sunday was a 53-yard bomb, pulled a hamstring in the game and is doubtful to play against the Seahawks Thursday. Other than Campbell, that was the lone injury reported by Arians during his press conference.

“It gets a little bit better and then he plays on it and it gets worse,” Arians said. “Hopefully we can continue to nurse it into the small open week (after the Seattle game) and get it better.”

Golden and Campbell were the only Cardinals to sit out Monday. Fitzgerald, linebacker Karlos Dansby (quadriceps), linebacker John Abraham (shoulder) and tight end Rob Housler (ankle) were all limited.

For the Seahawks, tight end Zach Miller (hamstring) was limited while sitting out were running back Spencer Ware (ankle), tackle Breno Giacomini (knee), linebacker Bobby Wagner (ankle) and defensive end Chris Clemons (elbow).

CARDS-SEAHAWKS SOLD OUT

The game Thursday is officially a sellout and will be televised locally. It is the 78th straight sellout at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game will be shown on NFL Network.

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